The study, published this week in the journal Circulation, provides the first physiological explanation for takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also called "broken heart syndrome" because it affects people who suffer severe emotional stress after bereavement (Photo: Shutterstock)

Advertisement

Other Images from this Gallery

Article Summary

If you haven't heard about takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," you may be surprised to find that one to two percent of people who are initially suspected of having a heart attack are finally discovered to have this increasingly recognized syndrome. New research suggests the condition that temporarily causes heart failure in people who experience severe stress might actually protect the heart from very high levels of adrenaline.